License plate security locking device

ABSTRACT

A license plate fastening and locking system by which a motor vehicle license plate is locked in place directly on a support, e.g., the bumper, of a motor vehicle. At least one key operated locking member fastens the license plate to the bumper. The locking member includes an outer cylinder passing through openings in the license plate and bumper, with the outer cylinder having an annular end collar clamping the license plate against the outer face of the bumper. A key plug extends through a central bore of the outer cylinder and is key operated between unlocked and locked positions. When moved to the locked position, the plug actuates a locking retaining member positioned adjacent the inner end of the cylinder into locking engagement with the inner face of the bumper to prevent unauthorized removal of the license plate and/or locking member from the bumper.

United States Patent Syversen [451 Aug. 22, 1972 [72] Inventor: JamesSyversen, 402 45th St.,

Brooklyn, NY. l 1220 [22] Filed: Aug. 26, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 67,092

' 52 US. Cl ..40/201 [51] Int. Cl ..G09f 7/00 [58] Field ofSearch..293/69 R; 70/371; 40/200, 209, 40/201, 2.2

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,283,150 l0/l9l8 Gilmore..40/201 1,821,053 9/1931 Dietz et'al ..40/209 X r 2,831,280 4/1958McCulley ..40/209 X FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 673,822 I l/l963Canada ..40/209 Primary Examiner--Robert W. MichellAssistant/Examiner-W'enceslao J. Contreras Attorney-Strauch, Nolan,Neale, Nies & Kurz [57] ABSTRACT A license plate fastening and lockingsystem by which a motor vehicle license plate is locked in placedirectly on a support, e.g., the bumper, of a motor vehicle. At leastone key operated locking member fastens the license plate to thebumper.- The locking member includes an outer cylinder passing throughopenings in the license plate and bumper, with the outer cylinder havingan annular end collar clamping the license plate against the outer faceof the bumper. A key plug extends through a central bore'of the outercylinder and is key operated between unlocked and locked positions..When moved to the locked position,

the plug actuatesa locking retaining member positioned adjacent theinner end of the cylinder into locking engagement with the inner face ofthe bumper to prevent unauthorized removal of the license plate and/orlocking member from the bumper.

,5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDmszz I972 3585; 188

FIG 4 FIG. 5

INVENTOR 2/ I n BY vr ATTORNE LICENSE PLATE SECURITY LOCKING DEVICEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to licenseplate mounting devices and more particularly to a novel manner andapparatus for locking the license plate of a motor vehicle directly to asupport element, for example the bumper of the vehicle, to preventunauthorized removal and theft of the license plate.

The theft of license plates from motor vehicles is becoming more andmore common, particularly in urban areas, and is creating an acuteproblem not only for the owner of the motor vehicle, but also for thegovernment agencies responsible for registration of vehicles andmaintaining records correlating a particular license plate number to aspecific vehicle. In the past, license plates have generally beenfastened to the motor vehicles simply by a number of bolt. and nutassemblies which, of course, are readily removable. As a result,unauthorized removal and theft of the license plate is easilyaccomplished and the plates may then be used on unauthorized vehicles.The owner of the registered vehicle is put to the inconvenience and costof obtaining a new license plate and the government agency no longer hasa means of identifying a specific vehicle with the license plate whichwas stolen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, a primary object of the inventionresides in the provision of a novel license plate mounting assemblywhich is substantially fool-proof against theft and which may bekey-operated only by authorized persons to permit removal of the licenseplate from the vehicle.

Another object of the invention resides in the provisions of a novellicense plate mounting system by which the plate is connected directlyto a support element, for example the bumper of a motor vehicle by wayof at least one key-operated locking mechanism which may be operated topermit removal of the license plate only by authorized personspossessing a proper key.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of anovel license plate mounting system such as that noted in the previousobjects in which the keyoperated locking member includes an outercylinder having an annular collar which retains the license plateagainst the exposed face of the bumper and an inner key plug rotatablewithin the outer cylinder between unlocked and locked positions. Whenthe plug is moved to the locked position, it actuates locking retainermeans at the inner end of the cylinder into locking engagement with theinner hidden face of the bumper, thereby preventing unauthorized removalof the license plate and locking mechanism from the bumper.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a novellicense plate mounting system as discussed in the prior objects whereinthe locking mechanism employed for locking the license plate onto thebumper may be of any conventional tumbler lock type which are operatedin the usual manner only by a specific key which would be in thepossession of the vehicle owner or other persons authorized by him.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparentfrom reading the following detailed description of the invention withreference to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicatelike elements. However, it is understood that the scope of the inventionis not limited by the illustrative embodiments, but is determined solelyby the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevation viewof a license plate mounted on a support element, for example the frontbumper, of a motor vehicle by way of a novel keyoperated lockingmechanism of the'invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally'along line 2-2 ofthe FIG. 1 and illustrating a typical key-operated mechanism which maybe employed for locking the license plate to the bumper;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to that of FIG. 2, butillustratinganother type of key-operated locking mechanism which may beemployed in the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view taken generally along line 55 of FIG, 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings,thelicense plate 10 is mounted directly on a bumper 12 of a motor vehiclebyway of a plurality of key-operated locking'mechanisms 14, each ofwhich extends through alignedopenings l6 and 18 providedin the licenseplate 10 and bumper 12, respectively.

Referring specifically to FIGS. 2 and 3, locking mechanism 14 includesan outer cylinder or barrel 20 which snugly extends through openings 16and 18, with the outer end of barrel 20 having an enlarged diameterannular collar'22 which abuts against the exposed face of license plate10 and clamps the plate snugly against the outer exposed face 13 ofbumper 12. A key plug 24 fits within the central bore of barrel 20 and aplurality of tumbler pins 26 cooperate between barrel 20 and plug 24 inthe usual conventional manner to fix plug 24 against axial movementwithin the barrel 20 but permit rotation of the plug within the barrelbetween unlocked and locked positions upon insertion of the proper key28.

A pair of retractable retaining pins 30 are mounted at the inner end ofbarrel 20 and are normally biased radially inwardly by springs 32. Keyplug 24 has a pair of recesses 34 at its inner end, and when plug 24 isin the unlocked position from that shown in FIG. 3), recesses 34 receivethe inner end of pins 32 as they are retracted into an unlockingposition on barrel 20.

To mount the license plate 10 on bumper l2, plug 24 will be positionedby key 28 in an unlocked position in which the inner ends of pins 30 arereceived in recesses 34. Consequently, the outer ends of pins 30 will berecessed beneath the peripheral surface of barrel 20 which then may beinserted in place through openings 16 and 18 until collar 22 snuglyclamps license plate 10 against the exposed face 13 of bumper l2. Plug24 is then turned by key 28 to its locked position as shown in FIG. 3,whereby the outer peripheral surface of plug 24 engages the inner endsof pins 30 and causes the pins to project radially outwardly from thebarrel 20 into retaining abutting engagement with the inner hidden face13a of bumper 12. Key 28 is then removed from plug 24 and pins 30prevent unauthorized removal of lock mechanism 14 from bumper 12 and theannular collar 22 prevents unauthorized removal of license plate fromthe exposed face of the bumper. As a result, only authorized personspossessing the proper key 28 may readily remove the license plate 10from the bumper.

As previously mentioned, any type of conventional key-operated lockmechanism 14 may be employed in the invention, so long as the mechanismincludes a front annular collar, such as collar 22, to clamp the licenseplate against the exposed face of the bumper and an inner retainermeans, such as pins 30, to prevent unauthorized removal of the lockmechanism and license plate from the bumper.

For example, referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, another type of lockmechanism which may be employed in the invention includes an outerbarrel 36 which snugly extends through openings 16 and 18 in licenseplate 10 and bumper 12, respectively, with the barrel 36 having anenlarged annular collar 38 abutting against the exposed face of licenseplate 10 and clamping the plate against bumper 12. A keyway slot 40extends along one side of barrel 36 and cooperates with an opposed slot42 through bumper 12 to receive a key 44 which retains barrel 36 againstrotation in bumper opening 18. A key plug 46 extends through the centralbore of barrel 36 and is connected thereto by the conventional pintumblers (not shown) which cooperate between plug 46 and barrel 36 toprevent relative axial movement therebetween, while at the same timepermitting rotation of plug 46 upon insertion of a proper key 48. Theinner end of plug 46 has a radially extending end lug 52 projectingbeyond the outer periphery of barrel 36. Another slot 54 extends throughbumper 12 to receive lug 52 when the lock mechanism is being insertedthrough the bumper to fasten plate 10 thereto.

To lock the license plate in place against bumper 12, plug 46 is rotatedto its inoperative unlocking position by key 48 so that lug 52 willalign with slot 54 in bumper l2 and permit the barrel 36 to be placedthrough openings 16 and 18 until the annular collar 38 abuts againstlicense plate 10. Of course, keyways 40 and 42 will also be aligned sothat the key 44 may be readily placed therein to prevent rotation ofbarrel 36. Plug 46 is then rotated to its locked position, shown in FIG.5, so that lug 52 will abut against the inner face of bumper 12 and key48 is removed. Consequently, lug 52 prevents unauthorized removal of thelock mechanism from the bumper, and the annular collar 38 lockinglyclamps license plate 10 against the bumper.

From the above description, it is readily apparent that the licenseplate mounting and locking system of the invention ensures that thelicense plate can not be readily removed from the bumper and, thereforeprevents unauthorized removal and use of the license plate. As a result,it will no longer be easy for a thief to steal the license plate and theproblems and inconvenience heretofore presented to the vehicle owner andgovernment agencies will be substantially reduced and eliminated.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embiment is therefore to be considered in a l respects as I ustrative andnot restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

.What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a license plate, a support'member adapted to be fixedto a motor vehicle, said support member and said license plate havingaligned openings. and key-operated lock means extending through saidaligned openings and operated by a suitable keyfor movement betweenunlocked and locked positions, said lock means having means at itsouterend for clamping said plate against one face of said member andretainer means at its inner end for engaging an op posite face of saidsupport member when said lock means is moved to its locked position bysaid key, thereby securing said plate in a locked position on itssupport member.

2. In combination, a license plate, a support member adapted to be fixedto a motor vehicle, said support member and said license plate havingaligned openings, key-operated means for locking said license plate tosaid support member thereby preventing unauthorized removal of saidlicense plate from said support member, said key-operated meansincluding a cylinder extending through said openings and having means atits outer end for clamping said plate against one face of said supportmember, a keyplug rotatably mounted within said cylinder for rotationbetween unlocked and locked positions, and retainer means adjacent theinner end of said cylinder for engaging an opposite face of said supportmember when said plug is rotated to its locking position by a suitablekey, thereby securing said plate in a locked position on said supportmember.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the clamping means on the outerend of said cylinder comprises an enlarged collar which abuts againstthe visible face of said license plate to clamp it against said supportmember.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said retainer mearis comprises aradial pin projecting beyond the outer periphery of said cylinder whensaid key plug is in its locked position, said pin engaging the oppositeface of said support member to prevent removal of said license platefrom said member.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein said support member is the bumperof a motor vehicle.

1. In combination, a license plate, a support member adapted to be fixedto a motor vehicle, said support member and said license plate havingaligned openings, and key-operated lock means extending through saidaligned openings and operated by a suitable key for movement betweenunlocked and locked positions, said lock means having means at its outerend for clamping said plate against one face of said member and retainermeans at its inner end for engaging an opposite face of said supportmember when said lock means is moved tO its locked position by said key,thereby securing said plate in a locked position on its support member.2. In combination, a license plate, a support member adapted to be fixedto a motor vehicle, said support member and said license plate havingaligned openings, key-operated means for locking said license plate tosaid support member thereby preventing unauthorized removal of saidlicense plate from said support member, said key-operated meansincluding a cylinder extending through said openings and having means atits outer end for clamping said plate against one face of said supportmember, a key plug rotatably mounted within said cylinder for rotationbetween unlocked and locked positions, and retainer means adjacent theinner end of said cylinder for engaging an opposite face of said supportmember when said plug is rotated to its locking position by a suitablekey, thereby securing said plate in a locked position on said supportmember.
 3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the clamping means on theouter end of said cylinder comprises an enlarged collar which abutsagainst the visible face of said license plate to clamp it against saidsupport member.
 4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said retainermeans comprises a radial pin projecting beyond the outer periphery ofsaid cylinder when said key plug is in its locked position, said pinengaging the opposite face of said support member to prevent removal ofsaid license plate from said member.
 5. The combination of claim 4,wherein said support member is the bumper of a motor vehicle.